Musical instrument



No. 6I8,539. Patented lan. 3|, 1899.

A.v GUETZ. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Applicltion filed Jan. 29, 1898.)

(No Model.)

f//f//f//////////////////////////////./////////////// 4/// n4: mums params co. Pwomumomwsmusmm n c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT GOETZ, OF l-IOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

MUSICAL INSTRUM ENT.

` SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,539, dated January 31, 1899.

Application filed January 29, 1898. Serial No. 668,409. (No model.)

To (L7/Z whom t may concern.-

Be it known that l, ALBERT GOETZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

By means of this invention a stringed musical instrument can be picked or caused to sound; and the invention resides in the novel features set forth in the following` specification and claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument, partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aviewlike Fig. 2 enlarged. Fig. 4 is a section along line c Fig.

y3. Fig. 5 is a section along line y y, Fig. 3.

The drawings show an instrument with soundingnboard 1 and strings 2. A pick 3 is adapted to sound its respective string. The pick or hook part 3 forms part of a bell-crank lever 3 4, fulcrumed at 5 to key 6 7. This key can be described as a lever of the first class with fulcrum at 8. The various keys can have their fulcra formed by a rod extended across the machine and through the block 9.

Suitable supports or side blocks 10 carry a top or bridge piece 11. Screws or stops 12 are suitably applied along the bridge-piece. When a key part 7 is depressed or played, the key part or end 6 rises or moves away from its string, causing the catch or pick 3 to draw on such string. As the pick-tail 4 is carried against stop 12 the pick is swung about pivot 5 to cause the hook 3 to move laterally or to free the string. When the key returns to its starting position, the pick-tail 4 comes to rest on a rail or ledge 13, so that the pick portion 3 again swings under or to engaging position with its string. Returningsprings 14, suitably applied, will return the keys as released.

The key-fulcrum S, as noted, is supported by a rail or guide 9connected by screws 16 to bridge-piece 11. These screws can turn in the bridge-piece, the threads of the screws engaging only the rail 9, so that the mere rotation of the screws will not cause the latter to shift in the bridge-piece. Such screws,

however, engaging their threads to rail 9 the rotation of the screws will adjust such rail with pivot 8 and keys 6 7 relatively to the strings, as required. The screws 16 are also prevented from rising or coming out of the bridge-piece 11 by plates 17, screwed or secured to such bridge-piece over the heads of screws 16. These plates 17 are perforated to give a screw-driver or tool access to the heads of screws 16; but these perforations 18 are too small for the heads of screws 16 to pass or rise therethrough. By a screw or adjuster suitably applied at each side the rail 9 can be set or leveled across'the instrument.

Each key in addition to its pick 3 is also provided with or carries a damper 19. The damper or felt 19 is carried by a swinging arm 20, Fig. 3, jointed at 21 by a flexible strip or suitable connection to the under side of the key. The play or swing of the damperarm 20 is limited by a stop, such as a screw 22, fastened to the key and passing through a slot or eye in the damper 20. This stop 22, when the key-arm 6 has moved away from or sounded a string, has raised or holds the damper 20 above or clear of the string to allow the latter to keep on sounding or vibrating. 1f desired, such damper can also be held clear when the key is at rest by a suitable rail or slide 23, Fig. 3, which by a button or stop 24 in convenient reach can be moved under the dampers 2O or under suitable inclines or blocks on said dampers to keep the latter permanently out of action. This slide or release 23 is, however, not necessary and if seen iit the damper-pads 19 could be connected or iiXed to the keys, so that the strings will always be damped when the keys are at rest.

The keys 7 can be touched or played, as known, to play notes or chords. W'hat may be called ,chord-keys can be formed by bails or swinging wires 25, Fig. 1, hinged or swinging on bridge 11. When not in use, these chord-keys can be swung back to rest on the bridge away from the keys. When the keys are to be used, they are swung down, so that their teeth or contacting parts 26, Fig. 2, rest on the respective keys. For eX- ample, if such a bail contacts with the keys for chord C E G or any other chord the depression of such bail will cause such chord to be sounded. Such abail can be depressed by one finger and these bails or chord-keys IOO are serviceable for various purposes, as for accompaniment to teach beginners and the like. Three bails or chord-keys 25 are shown in Fig. l; but of course this number can be varied. When passing over one another, the bails can be suitably looped or arched, so that an upper bail when depressed will not aetuate an underlying bail.

The tailpieces l are suitably bent or inclined, Fig. l, so as to clear one another and to properly engage their stops l2. A pad or piece of felt about pivot 5 or between the pick and the key acts as a friction-piece to prevent excessive or unnecessary play of the pick on its pivot.

The stop or screw 22 can of course be so adjusted as to leave the damper the proper amount of play when the stop 23 is withdrawn. The strings can be arranged chromatically or otherwise, as described. The swing of the key is limited by the key-arm (3 striking the bridge-piece when the key is touched. Felt padding or the like is of course suitably applied to deaden the sound of contact-as, for example, of the key strikingr the bridge or the picktail 4 coming onto stop rail or rest 13. In place of the adjustable stops l2 a fixed rail or stops can be applied; but manifestly the adjustable screws l2 have advantages. The pick, as seen, can be readily pivoted to therear face or end of its key, so as to be in convenient position forengaging the string underlying or running parallel to the key.

The carrier or bridge l0 1l can be detachably mounted or secured to the instrument, so that such bridge,with its picks or parts, can be raised or removed whenever desired-as, for example, when Stringing the instrument.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. ln a stringed musical instrument, the combination with a key or lever of the first class, of a pick pivotally secured on the rear end of said key or lever and adapted to engage a string to raise it as the key is depressed and having a tailpiece, and a stop located above said tailpiece and designed to be engaged thereby to swing the pick from engagement with the string, substantially as described.

2. ln a stringed musical instrument, the combination with a key or lever of the first class, of a pick pivotally secured on the rear end of said key or lever and adapted to engage a string to raise it as the key is depressed and having a tailpiece, a stop located above said tailpiece and designed to be engaged thereby to swing the pick from engagement with the string, and a stop located below the tailpiece and adapted to be engaged thereby to swing the piek into engagement with the string, substantially as described.

3. A stringed musical instrument provided with a key, a damper jointed to the key, and a screw for limiting the motion or swing ol the damper substantially as described.

l. A stringed musical instrument provided with a key, a damper made to swing on the key between the latter and the string, and a stop or slide for holding the damper toward the key or out of damping action substantially as described.

5. A stringed musical instrument provided with a bridge-piece, a key-fulcrum support, and a screw for connecting the support and the bridge, said screw being made to turn loosely in the bridge and being threaded to the support, and said bridge having a perforated retaining-plate for giving access to and for holding the screw in place substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT GOETZ.

Vitnesses:

ERNEs'r EULERT, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

